Pumpkin Spice Muffins

I ripped this recipe out of a Cooking Light magazine back in 2006 and just now finally tried it! The enormous stack of these ripped out recipes is why I often cancel cooking magazines for a couple of years so I can try to catch up.  I recently spent a lazy Sunday afternoon reading through the binder where I keep them and reordered them with those that I really hope we make soon at the front.  It is like a very personalized magazine to leaf through...

These light, delectable muffins have a cozy flavor and are quite fulfilling on a blustery day.  And because they are from Cooking Light you know that they are not too bad for you (202 calories, 5.1 g fat in one muffin).  As an added incentive to try them, they are as simple as can be to whip up.

Pumpkin Spice Muffins

Makes: 18
Source: Cooking Light, November 2006

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (I used 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/2 tsp cloves)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/3 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup canola oil
1/4 cup molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons granulated sugar (I used turbinado sugar with a dash of cinnamon for a bit more crunch)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, ginger, and salt in a medium bowl; stir well with a whisk.  Stir in raisins; make a well in center of mixture. Combine brown sugar, canned pumpkin, buttermilk, canola oil, molasses, vanilla, and eggs; stir well with a whisk.  Add sugar mixture to flour mixture, stir just until moist (using a spatula).

Spoon batter into 18 muffin cups that are either coated with cooking spray or have liners.  Sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake for 15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Remove from pans immediately and cool on a rack.

Enjoy!

~ Tara

Comments

[Rose]

Fantastic! We have 4 cans of pumpkin that we want to use up! Can't wait to try this :D